The Town, Bran Nue Dae, You Again, Catfish

Best for the last week would be the new film by director/actor Ben Afleck, based on true stories from Boston's Charlestown region, known as a breeding ground for armed robberies. The film is called THE TOWN and concerns itself with a gang that robs banks and armoured cars. During one bank robbery, a gang member kidnaps a young woman, later lets her go, then has second doubts about whether or not she knows anything concrete that could incriminate the gang. The gang leader Ben Afleck determines to contact and befriend her-- of course, he falls for her and there is some tension whether or not she can or will implicate him. In the meantime a police detective has determined that this is the gang doing all the recent robberies and assaults, but needs more solid evidence to move in for the arrest. The film moves along in spite of some holes in the plot, and is entertaining and compelling with the tension developing between the two story lines. A very worth while effort, with special notice to Jeremy Renner from THE HURT LOCKER as the unpredictably violent gang member who is getting out of control, and Rebecca Hall as the young woman, innocently falling in love with the wrong guy. GRADE------B

There is finally a musical version of a big Australian stage play hit from 1990 that is one of the top films from Down Under, and it is called BRAN NUE DAE (BRAND NEW DAY). I saw it screened at the last edition of SIFF, and it was a complete and utter delightful surprise. Here is a pop musical singing/dancing film where nearly all the characters are Aboriginal ("There ain't nothing I'd rather be, Than an Aborigine....") with some big laughs, smart lovable characters and memorable pop tunes---and some sharp political jabs at the white man taking over all the Aboriginal land, and other injustices. But the tone is definitely light weight and you can be assured that a happy ending will see every one's dreams come true. GRADE------B

CATFISH is an odd name for what is basically a reality documentary exposing how easy it is to commit fraud on the social Internet networks like Face book. Over several months, a young man falls in love with what he thinks is his soul mate half way across the country, and learns about her younger artist sister, her beautiful mother, and the charmed life they lead. Then he (and his film making friends) decide to pay the family a surprise visit. There are enough red herrings (he says early at one point--"For all I know she could be a man" at the other end of the computer...) that when the truth starts to come out, we the audience are not terribly surprised, but more horrifyingly saddened at the lengths to which both the filmmakers and the 'family' have behaved. It is a sad film for all parties, and yet with exposure comes some liberating truths. Things are unexpectedly righted by the end. It's a sharp commentary on our e-world obsessions. GRADE-------B

I wish that the new comedy this week had been edgier, nastier, sharper, wittier and more fun, but YOU AGAIN is just a little lazy in all categories. Still, there is some fun with Sigourney Weaver oozing her way through the "heartless rich bitch" role, and Kristin Chenoweth has some odd amusing moments as a perky wedding-planner. Newcomer Kyle Bornheimer is over-the-top brilliant as a jilted lover who is not over it at all, and of course, the amazing Betty White delivers her lines with wicked aplomb. Kristen Bell does what she can as the geeky girl whose beloved brother is about to marry the meanest girl from her high school past, but the other characters, especially the men, barely register. It's an easy to watch, "popcorn" comedy, however, and I admit I enjoyed much of this guilty pleasure. GRADE---------B-